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Getting up close to the world's big cats in their natural habitat is often considered the ultimate experience for wildlife lovers. With the opportunity to encounter even the most elusive of big cats, on a Jaguar tour to the lush tropical jungles of the Brazilian Pantanal, for instance, a dream can become reality. But for nature lovers, the issue of conservation of the big cats and their habitat is never far away. Experiencing a Tiger or Jaguar tour only highlights the fragility of the animals' survival, so every opportunity to spread awareness and education is important. A Creative Conservation Initiative Wildlife conservation can take many forms, and one of the more creative ones focused on raising the profile of the world's big cats in danger is the Robert Dallet Initiative for Wild Cat Conservation. A collaboration between French luxury brand Hermès (for whom Dallet painted) and Panthera (the renowned non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of wild cats and their landscapes around the world), the initiative aims to honour the artist's life work in the context of supporting big cat conservation. Robert Dallet – An Artist With Vision and Passion Dallet painted his incredibly detailed wildlife images for Hermès for decades and he was renowned for his passion for big cats. It distressed and frustrated him that so many species were becoming extinct in his lifetime, and he used big cats as a recurring theme in his exquisite work for Hermès. Ten years after his death, the artist is being honoured by the company with an initiative whose mission it is to support and promote the latest in conservation and science in order to preserve the world's big cats and their habitats. Fierce and Fragile The Robert Dallet Initiative for Wild Cat Conservation was heralded by an exhibition of his work at the Museum of Arts and Science, in Connecticut, in January 2016. After its residence in the USA, the exhibition is scheduled to tour Paris, Munich, Shanghai, Mumbai and Hong Kong. A true nexus of art and conservation, the exhibition, entitled Fierce and Fragile, features many of Dallet's most emotive portraits of big cats in the wild. Working in pencil, charcoal, gouache and watercolour on paper, Dallet was able to perfectly capture the strength, majesty and vulnerability of these magnificent creatures, and his work is a powerful medium through which to reaffirm the need for awareness of the tenuous state of their survival. The exhibition features 75 pieces of Dallet's work, including sketches, paintings and drawings of eight species of big cats: Jaguars, Lions, Tigers, Pumas, Snow Leopards, Leopards, Cheetahs, and Clouded Leopards. Accompanying texts address the conservation threats facing each species' survival in habitats around the world. Supporting the Work of Panthera A master of big cat anatomy, Dallet's extraordinary talent went largely unnoticed beyond his commercial work for Hermès. But with an aim to not only preserve an important artistic legacy, but also pay homage to the artist's passion for big cat conservation, the Hermès partnership with Panthera signals the inception of a unique environmental project. Alongside the travelling exhibition, Hermès has produced a commemorative scarf featuring a Leopard image by Dallet, as well as a large format book. Proceeds from both will go to support Panthera's wild cat conservation projects. Conservation – A Job for Everyone Hermès and Panthera's partnership exemplifies the diverse opportunities that exist to raise awareness of big cat conservation. Whether it's by getting involved in initiatives like this or by supporting ecotourism in key big cat habitat on a Jaguar tour in South America, it's important to understand that conservation is a job for everyone if we are to preserve one of the world's most precious wildlife species. Marissa Ellis-Snow is a freelance nature writer with a special interest in Jaguar watching. Being passionate about her subject, Marissa chooses the expert-led Jaguar tour itineraries organised by Naturetrek, which have brought her unforgettable sightings of a wide range of wildlife in some of the most spectacular regions on Earth.
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